Ohio and Kent State
Ohio and Kent State
were far away from Australia.
But like America, the Vietnam war
hung like a noose around
the collective neck of the Nation.
We were fired by a cause,
an innocence born out
of a belief that a voice could be
louder than the gun.
Banners and protest choked
the commerce of cities,
chants rose like prayers
to drown out drums.
Governments saw something
dangerous in the swelling power
of the young.
Then bullets tore into the dream.
The images of death
that had for years soaked
television screens with the blood
of Vietnam, had come home.
Innocence was lost.
Our generation are old
men and women now, picking
over the bones of our dreams.
Some of us still know the words
of Neil Young's anthem, ‘Ohio’,
or Redgum’s ‘I was only 19’,
see the images of war
still bleed across
our television screens.
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment